Serving Somalis: Student from Somalia helps kids at school, other immigrants

(St. Cloud, Minneapolis.  December 27,  2008 Ceegaag Online) 

Ali Yusaf is trying to make the most of his opportunities. It was just three years ago that Yusaf, who is a 22-year-old Somalia native, was living in a Kenyan refugee camp. Today, some see him with unlimited potential and as an emerging leader among the Somali community and in the broader St. Cloud community.

“For the community and his people, he does an excellent job,” said Erik McAfee, who works at North Junior High School with Yusaf. “He is solid. He is a strong personality to where he stands on what he believes in.”

He works at North as a cultural navigator, part of a school equity program that works with children to help them connect with adults, make good decisions and work through issues that they confront in their lives. He is a student at St. Cloud Technical College with dreams of some day being a social worker or a news anchor.

He is a leader in his community. With a good command of English, he teaches it to older Somali natives for 90 minutes a week. He helps translate for Somalis at Catholic Charities and he is a leader of a soccer team called La Cruz United.

“Given time, he is going to develop into an excellent community leader,” said Greg Riegstad, who directs the Trio program at the Technical College and serves as an adviser to Yusaf. “He’s a nice gentleman. He is really working very, very hard.”

Escape

Yusaf arrived in the U.S. in 2006, with help from one of his nine siblings. The whole family is here except for his mother, who still lives in Kenya.

He grew up in war-torn Somalia and the family escaped to a refugee camp in Kenya.

Yusaf loves living in the United States and St. Cloud.

He enjoys what he is doing and looks forward to helping Somalis and other people in St. Cloud. He fits in well at North, where he connects with the children and families, especially those of Somali heritage.

“We’re from the same country. We speak the same language. They respect me. These children, they have dreams,” he says in Teresa Nesteby’s Jump-start class, which is for students new to the country.

Model for others

The boys and girls in the class are mostly Somali and they gravitate toward Yusaf. He asks them questions about their schoolwork, helps them and even shares light moments with them.

North Principal Bob Huot said Yusaf has been a great addition to the school.

“He knows their culture well. He knows the language well. He has just been an invaluable asset,” Huot said.

Dressed in a blue sweater and slacks, Yusaf walks confidently through the halls of North Junior High. He greets his co-workers and will stop and talk to Somali parents who are waiting in the office. At lunch time, he checks in the cafeteria to make sure the children are getting their meals in an orderly fashion.

He is soft-spoken and enthusiastic and grateful for the opportunities he has received in St. Cloud and the United States.

“I am very luck to be in this country,” Yusaf said. “I really appreciate the chance to work in (St. Cloud school district).”

He would some day like to return to Somalia. The East African nation is not stable so Yusaf is not sure when that could be.

“Maybe one day I can go back and help my community,” Yusaf said.

Source:  St. Cloud Times

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